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Extraordinary, Historic, and Well Documented Extensively Gold and Silver Ornamented Royal Presentation Wheellock Sporting Arm Signed F.P.
from the Magnificent Cabinet d’Armes of King Louis XIII of France
LOT 1244
Serial no. 24, 16 bore cal., 43 5/8 inch part octagon bbl., bright finish, hardwood stock. When it comes to fine 17th century firearms, the Cabinet d’Armes of King Louis XIII of France (1601-1643) is incredibly significant. It is arguably the most important arms collection in history, containing an impressive variety of arms with diverse ornamentation. The Victoria & Albert Museum credits the young French king as “the first real European gun collector,” but he was far more than just a collector. As the surviving pieces of the Cabinet d’Armes clearly demonstrate, Louis XIII was a patron of the
art...the art of arms making. He was an aficionado fascinated by the evolving technologies, the elements of style and the varying forms. He also had a practical, hands-on, field-tested understanding of much of his collection as he used them in nearly all of his hunts. Leonid Tarassuk noted “... one of [Louis’] favorite pastimes was examining, taking apart, cleaning, and reassembling firearms in the quiet of his cabinet. The king’s enchantment with arms was well known and earned him the nickname ‘Louis l’Arquebusier’” (see “The Cabinet d’Armes
of Louis XIII: Some Firearms and Related Problems,”The Metropolitan Museum of Art Journal, Volume 21, 1986).
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